Tube or rod pulling mechanism



May 8, 1928.

I R. c. MASON TUBE OR ROD PULLING MECHANISM I r I I Filed Nov. 20. 19252 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD C. MASON, F TULSA, OKLAHOMA SSIGNOR TO THE MASON CORPORATION,

OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION OF OKLAHOMA.

TUBE 0R ROD PULLING MECHANISM.

a lication filed November 20, 1925. Serial No. 70,330.

My invention relates to tube or rod pulling mechanism, and moreparticularly to mechanism adapted for pulling or letting in the tubingand sucker rods of an oil well when it is necessary to open the well forcleaning or repairs, the principal object of the invention being toeffect a substantially continuous pulling or letting in operation,thereby avoiding the loss of time ordinarily caused by idle returns ofthe elevatoror rod hook, and wear on the engine incidentto speedchanges.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism of thischaracter which may be adjusted for higher power, but lower-speed toadapt it for pulling heavy casing.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated inthe accompanying drawings, wherein z 1 is a perspectiveview of an oil well derrick equipped with my improvements, illustratingthe operation of pulling, or letting in tubing. i

Fig. 2 is a plan. view of my improved operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detaihperspective View of the same.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 designates a derrick of anyordinary type, comprising a platform 2, header 3, crown block 4, pulleys5 and 6 mounted on the crown block, a tubing board 7 with its fingerboard 8, and a bull wheel 9 which may be operated from any suitablesource (not shown).

Mounted on the derrick platform is a base 10 preferably consisting of aU-shaped frame 11 of I-beam construction, and an auxiliary rail 12parallel with and spaced from the base of the frame 11 and connectedtherewith by bolts 13 and bars 14, the frame members being bolted to thederrick platform to anchor them firmly thereon.

Mounted on the base of the U-frame 11 and on the auxiliary beam 12 arebearing blocks 15 and 16, rotatably mounting a :31) shaft 17 which isextended beyond the base beam and there provided with a sprocket wheel18. v

The sprocket wheel 18 is operatively connected with a sprocl'ret wheel19 onthe bull whee shaft by a chain belt 20 which fee of power nishespower for driving my operating mechanism.

Mounted at each end of the frame 10 is a pair of bearing blocks 21-22,21'22, andqournalled in said bearing blocks are shafts 2323'.

Fixed to the shafts 2323', are spooling drums 24 -2 1 and sprocketwheels 2525.

Running over the sprocket wheels 2525' and over mating sprocket Wheels26-26' fixed on the shaft 17, are sprocket chains 27-27, the sprocketwheels 25 and 25, 26

and 26 being of the same diameter and tooth measure so that the spoolingdrums 24 and 24 are driven synchronously at the same rate of travel, andin the same direction, in fact, the spooling drum sets are duplicates ofeach other, the only difference belng in direction of travel of theropes running thereover, as presently described.

Also fixed on the main shaft 17 is a brake drum 28 equipped with a brakeband 29 operable by a lever 28 in the same manner as similar structuresin general use.

Fixed to each of the spooling drums is a rope titl -30 which is run overa correspending pulley 5 or 6 at the top of the derrick from the outsideso that the loose ends of the ropes hang substantially over the centerof the well, each rope-being provided at its loose end witha book 31.

32 designates a casing head of the well in connection with which themechanism is used, and 33, 34 and 35 are elevators of a typecommonlyused in oil well operation, connecting the cable with the tubing 36 byengagement of the clamp member of the elevator beneath the tubingcollars 37.

While I have described conventional ele ments of an oil well derrick andparts used in oil well operation, reference to specific elements is forpurpose of illustration and explanation only, as other specific devicesfor performing the same or like functions may be substituted, as forinstance a sucker rod hook may be used in place of the tubing elevatorsor spiders herein illustrated and specifically mentioned.

Assuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described theoperation in pulling tubing is as follows An elevator is applied to theupper joint of tubing so that its clamp part engages under the tubingcollar and the tubin'" is supported by the clamp from the o the cas inghead. One of the lines 30 or 30, as for instance the line 30, is letdown so that its hook 31 may be engaged in the elevator bail and poweris applied to the mechanism to rotate the spooling drums and wind therope 30 on the drum 2 f, winding of the rope on the drum 24 raising thetubing until one or more joints of tubing have been lifted out of thewell, and the collar of a succeeding joint exposed above the casinghead. Simultaneously withwinding of the rope 30 on the drum 24;, therope 30 is let out from drum 24 so that the hook 31 on the rope 30 willreach the level of the. casins head as the top of the upper joint ofpipe rises above the tubing board. lVhen the parts have reached thesepositions, operation of the mechanism is stopped, the elevated jointsare unscrewed from the tubing remaining in the well, and anotherelevator applied beneath the exposed collar on the tubing in the well.An operator on the platform then swings the joints to a corner of thederrick, and slack is let into the rope 30 to rest the removed joints onthe platform so that the operation on the tubing board may release theelevator from the upper joints. While the operator above is disposing ofthe disconnected tubing, an operator on the platform hooks the rope 30to the elevator supporting the tubing in the well and then the operationjust described is repeated, except that the spooling drums are reversedto wind the rope 30 and let out the rope 30, so that when the nextjoints of tubing have been raised to the proper elevation, the hook onth rope 30 will be back at the casing head ready for connection with anelevator which has been applied to the next joint of pipe, theoperations described being repeated until all of the tubing has beenremoved from the well.

The same operation is employed for removing sucker rods, the onlydifference being in the detail construction of the elevator or clampingmember.

Vhen the well has been cleaned, the tubing and sucker rod joints may bepicked up and successively connected and lowered into the well.

disconnected.

It is apparent that with a mechanism en1- bodying my improvements aconsiderable saving of time may be effected, for the reason that thereis no idle travel of the ropes to return the hooks to position forconnection with the elevators, the hook on one rope returning up or downwhile that on the other is lifting or lowering.

It is also apparent that strain on the englue and working parts, due toincreased speed during the returning travel, is obviated, and thatconsequently the tubing and rods may be pulled or let in much morequickly and with less strain on the working parts than with themechanism heretofore ordinarily employed for such purposes.

\Vhile I have illustrated my improvements in connection 'ith a drillingderrick, a light pumping derrick, gin pole or other structure capable ofsu iporting weight of the tubing and rods may be substituted for theheavier structure after the well has come in.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is In combinationwith an oil well derrick or the like, a base fixed to the platformc'omprising a U-shaped frame and a rail spaced from the base of theframe, bearing members mounted at opposite ends of the frame, shaftsjournalled in said bearings, drum and a sprocket wheel fixed to each ofsaid shafts, intermediate bearing members mounted on the base of theframe and on said rail, a shaft journalled in said intermediate bearingmembers, sprocket wheels fixed on said intermediate shaft, chain beltsrun over mating sprocket Wheels on the siooling drum and intermediateshafts, a brake drum on said. intermediate shaft, a brake band for saidbrake drum, means for operating the brake band, means for rotating saidintermediate shaft, pulleys on the top of the derrick, and a rope fixedto each of the spooling drums and run over a corresponding pulleywhereby loose ends of the ropes are respectively raised and lowered uponrotation of the intermediate shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD G. MASON.

spooling t.

